Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)

The social welfare rates of payment should have been the last thing to go after. The point is that people on those payments spend their money in the economy. People who are wealthy will save their money and reduce their debt but those on social welfare spend their money in the domestic economy. We have lost an opportunity in this regard.

Last year, when there was a flat rate cut to child benefit, as noted by Deputy Charles Flanagan, a re-balancing measure was taken by the Government in regard to the family income supplement. If it thought it important enough to do it last year, why is the Government not doing the same this year? While the principle of universal child benefit is very important, if the payment is to be reduced, the Government should have protected the most vulnerable children. Many other measures could have been taken to reduce the social welfare bill. They would take a bit of thought and work but they would not necessarily involve cutting the rates as proposed here.

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